Bust up the corporate broadband monopoly

Carla Axtman

For years, the Portland region has been at the whim of a small group of companies like Comcast, Qwest, and Verizon that dominate the area's broadband market. Comcast, in particular, has near-monopoly power when it comes to broadband in our area, and has a terrible reputation with consumers and regulators.

Enter Google. The search engine giant is surveying the country, looking for a few new places to introduce Google Fiber. This is Google's new Internet connection with speeds of 1 gigabit per second – roughly 100 times the current U.S. average. And they're looking to the Portland metro area.

Sign the petition asking the Portland City Council to work quickly to bring Google Fiber to the region.

Google Fiber would give Comcast and the rest a serious run for their money. Faster internet means more than just snazzier entertainment options. It unlocks the potential for new ideas that we can barely dream about -- and the jobs that those new ideas would create. It also means that Comcast -- known for its customer-service failures and prices that climb inexorably, even as service stays flat -- would finally face some serious competition. This is a fantastic opportunity to give consumers a choice, which means power over corporate bad guys who run roughshod.

Sign the petition NOW. Ask the Portland City Council to facilitate bringing Google Fiber to the Portland metro area.

This critical infrastructure supports high-growth, middle-class jobs that help Portland compete globally. It also has the added benefit of putting us ahead of Seattle (which isn't on Google's list), making us more competitive in the Pacific Northwest.

Ask the Portland City Council to move quickly to bring Google Fiber to the Portland area. Sign the petition today.

By Carla Axtman Feb. 27, 2014 Posted in BlueOregon Action.